I really enjoyed the backwaters tour and decide to head down south to one of the main places to explore the backwaters, a town called Alleppey. I was told by my fellow Dubai dragonboaters that this town is also known for large dragonboat competitions where they race boats that seat 100+ people. The bus journey was interesting and one of the dirtiest buses.

Once I arrived in Alleppey I found a really neat bungalow hotel. The atmosphere at this place was incredible. The entire landscape had a jungle feel to it and the straw huts were rustic and modern with a fully western bathroom with brand new tiles, quit the contrast.

The first thing I did was grab some food. I’ve really taken a liking to Aloo Gobi, which is a curry consisting of potato and cauliflower. This plus some paratta bread makes an awesome meal. After dinner I took a bike to visit the fishing villages just south of the beach.

The beaches of Alleppey and most India cities are pretty baron. However there is lots to see in the fishing villages. While on my bike I ride through several villages and the local kids all scream and yell at me. They have gotten use to tourists and ask for “one pen please” sometimes candy and sometimes money. They are extremely curious and eager to get a freehand out. When they discover that I don’t have candy, money or pens to give them they settle for photos.

Alleppey is the gateway into the backwaters and it is from here I do an overnight house boat tour. The houseboat scene is really touristy. You can find boats of all shapes and sizes and the industry has really taken off. The roofs and walls of these boats are made from interweaved leaves. Our boat starts out in the morning along with several dozens of other boats. They funnel through a traffic jammed backwater into a huge lake. At this point all the boats set course to their respective routes and disappear into the small narrower waterways.

From the top of the house boat we are able to see more backwater village life. There is more traffic through the waterways than I imagined and just sitting and watching from the top is a rewarding activity in itself. At one point school is out and children run along the edge of water screaming and waving at us. Again most of them are screaming “one pen please!”

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